Actually, there is merit to it. Orthodoxy was much more flexible and open to changes prior to Haskala. What would the reaction be today if someone wanted to significantly modify the Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah davening? There would be an uproar. Yet that did happen without any problems. The kapitlach were composed between 700 and 1300; Kol Nidre could have been composed as early as 800 or as late as@100. Kabbalas Shabbos was added 500-600 years ago. With the emergence of Reform, all change was viewed as suspicious dangerous leading to more Record.
Menu